Filling-valve.



PATENTED JAN. 6, 1903.

A. SCHNEIDER. FILLING VALVE. APPLIGATION FILED MAR. 27, 1902.

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PATENTED JAN. 6, 1903.

A. SCHNEIDER.

FILLING VALVE. APPLiOATIOK FILED MAR. 2'1, 1902 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

30 MODEL.

UNITED STATES QATENT @FFICE.

ADOLPH SCHNEIDER, OF OHIOAGQILLINOIS.

FILLING-VALVE.

SIEGIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 717,628, dated January6, 1903.

Application filed March 2'7, 1902. Serial No. 100,321. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ADOLPH SCHNEIDER, a citizen of the United States,residing at Ohicage, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, haveinvented a certain new and useful Improvement in Filling-Valves, ofwhich the following is a specification.

The object of this invention is to construct a valve for use in thebottling of liquids un-' der pressure and by means of which a charge ofcarbonic-acid gas or other medium can be injected into the bottle beforethe admission thereinto of the liquid and which will also enable theliquid to be bottled under the conditions of equal pressure in thereceptacle from which the liquid is drawn and in the bottle for theequal pressure to act to prevent the foaming of the liquid in thebottling operation, as well as insuring against deterioration of theliquid or loss in bottling. The valve in order to fulfil therequirements of supplying carbonic-acid gas or other medium and toenable thebottle to be filled under an equal pressure must have aconstruction which will allow the'carbonic acid gas or other mediumunder excessive pressure to be first admitted to the bottle for theexcessive pressure of the carbonic acid gas or other medium to resistthe flow of the liquid into the bottle until the excess of pressure inthe bottle of the carbonic-acid gas or other medium is equalized withthe pressure in the filling-tank, and with the equalizing of thepressure between the filling-tank and the bottle the liquid is free toflow by gravity into the bottle and as the bottle fills with the liqquidforce out the carbonic-acid gas or other medium. I

The primary object of the present inven tion is to construct a simple,effective, and reliable valve,practically adapted for use withfilling-machines,-for first introducing into the bottle a supply orcharge of carbonic-acid gas or other medium under an excess of pressureand then opening communication between the bottle and the liquidcontaining tank for equalizing the pressure to allow the liquid to flowinto the bottle; to improve the construction of the valve as to thearrangement of the supply-passages for the carbonic-acid gas or othermedium, the pressure and vent passages and the liquid-supply passages inthe casing or shell, and the controlling-plug of the valve; to give thecarbonic-acid gas or other medium, the pressure relief, and the liquidseparate lines of travel, so arranged as to first admit thecarbonic-acid gas or other medium under pressure and then open the ventfor equalizing the pressure and the passage for admitting the liquid,and to simplify and improve the construction and operation of theconstituent elements which enter into the construction of the valveas awhole.

The invention consists in the features of construction and combinationsof parts hereinafter described and claimed.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is an end elevation of the valve with thefilling-tube broken out; Fig. 2, a side elevation of the valve with thefilling-tube broken out; Fig. 3, a. longitudinal sectional elevation ofthe valve with the filling-tube broken off; Fig. 4, a transversesectional elevation showing the several passages for the admission ofcarbonic-acid gas or other medium, venting the pressure and admittingthe liquid,with the controlling-plug turned to close all of thepassages; Fig. 5, a

similar view to Fig. 4, showing the same passages, with thecontrollingplug turned to open the passage for the admission ofcarbonic-acid gas or other medium; Fig. 6, asimilar view to Fig. 4,showing the same passages, with the controlling-plug turned to shut on?the passage for admitting carbonic-acid gas or other medium and to openthe vent-passage and the liquid-filling passage; Fig. 7, a transversesectional elevation of the valve, showing the controlling-plug turned toshut off communication through the passage for admitting carbonic-acidgas and to open the vent-passage and liquid-supply passage and showing amodification of the means for establishing communication with the bottlefor admitting carbonic-acid gas or other medium and venting the excessof pressure; Fig. 8, a

side elevation of the construction shown in Fig. 7; Fig. 9,across-section through the filling-tube and the neck of the closing-cap,showing the supply and vent passage of Fig. 7 for communication with thebottle; and Fig. 10, a longitudinal section in plan of thecontrolling-plug of Fig. 7, showing the passage for establishingcommunication with the bottle for admitting carbonic-acid gas or othermedium and venting and equalizing the pressure.

The valve is constructed with a casing or shell A, having, as shown, atapered. interior chamber or opening for the reception of acontrolling-plug. The chamber or opening of the casing or shell at oneend is closed by a cap or head B and at the other end is closed by a capor head B. The casing or shell at one end has a projecting rim 0!, withan exterior screw-thread onto which is screw-threaded the rim 1) of thecap or head B, so as to make a close tight joint between the cap or headand the end face of the casing or shell. The opposite end of the casingor shell has a rim Ct with an exterior screwthread, onto which isscrew-threaded the rim b of the cap or head B, so as to make a closetight joint between the cap or head and the end of the casing or shell,and, as shown, each cap or head has in its outer face a slot or recess19 for the reception of a screw-driver or other suit-able instrument bymeans of which the caps or heads can be fully entered into place.

The casing or shell A has located in its chamber or opening acontrolling-plug D for the admission of carbonic-acid gas or othermedium, venting the excess of pressure and equalizing the pressure andadmitting the liquid, which controlling-plug, as shown, is in the formof a tapered plug fitting the correspondingly-tapered chamber or openingof the casing or shell. The length of the controlling plug or valve isless than the full length of the chamber in which it is located, leavinga space in the arrangement shown between the end face of the controllingplug or valve and the closing cap or head B, in which is located apressure-spring C, which spring seats in a recess therefor in the end ofthe controlling-plug and is of sufficient power to exert the necessaryforce for holding the valve pressed inwardly with the requisitefrictional contact between the walls of the plug and the chamber of thecasing or shell for holding the plug and the filling-tube against areturn or falling back of the fillingtube when the controlling plug orvalve is turned to shut off communication between the passages in thecasing or shell and the passages in the controlling plug or valve, andthe spring also serves the purpose of holding the plug-valve in itschamber so as to maintain a close fit and a tight joint against leakagearound the controlling plug or valve.

The controlling plug or valve has transversely therethrough a hole orpassage circular in cross-section and of difierent diametors. Thesmallest end of the hole or passage forms a port or opening d, and theadjoining section d of the hole or passage is screwthreaded at its endadjacent to the port or opening 61 to receive the end of a filling-tube,and the third section d adjoining the section d of the hole or passage,is of the largest diameter and has a screw-thread for the attachment ofthe closing-cap of the filling-tube. The filling-tube E at its inner endis screwthreaded and entered into the hole or passage of the controllingplug or valve to the end of the section d of the transverse hole orpassage through the plug or valve, the screwthreads on the end of thefilling-tube engaging the screw-threads of the section (1 of the hole orpassage, and when in place the hole of the filling-tube will be inalinement with the port or passage (1 in the controlling-plug orplug-valve, as shown in Figs. 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7. The filling-tube is ofa length to extend into the bottle a sufficient distance for the fillingoperation, and, as shown, the exterior end of the filling-tube has onone or more sides a discharge port or opening e, which when thefilling-tube is inserted in the bottle allows of the discharge of theliquid into the bottle. The filling-tube, as shown, has in its interiora venting-pipe F, which at one end is in communication with a port oropeningf through the wall of the filling-tube and at its other end is incommunication with a port or opening f in the wall of the filling-tube,and this pipe F serves the purpose in the construction shown in Figs. 1to 6, both inclusive, of admitting carbonic-acid gas or other mediuminto the bottle and of venting excess of pressure to equalize thepressure in the bottle and the liquid containing or filling tank orreceptacle for admitting the liquid to the bottle in the condition ofequal pressure in the bottle and in the tank or receptacle.

The body of the filling-tube above the port or opening f is encircled bya closing-cap G, which has a neck G with an exterior screwthread toenter the screw-threaded section 01 of the transverse hole or passagethrough the controlling plug or valve, and the neck G passes through anelongated slot or opening g in the casing or shell of the valve, whichslot or opening is of sufficient length to allow the necessary turningof the controlling plug or valve to shut off and admit the carbonicacidgas or other medium and to close and open the passages for venting theexcess of pressure and admitting the liquid to the bottle. Theclosing-cap, as shown, is of a semicircular shape and at its outer openend has an inwardly-extending rim or flange g, against which abuts thelower edge face of a packing or cushion H, of rubber or other suitablematerial, and, as shown in Fig. 3, the packing or cushion has a centralconical depending closure or stopper h, through which the filling-tubepasses and which when the fillingtube is in the neck of thebottle-enters the mouth of the bottle and, in connection with thepacking or cushion H, tightly closes the mouth of the bottle againstescape of the gas or other medium, the pressure, and the liquid when theend of the bottle neck is held tightly against the packing or cushion Hof the closing-cap.

The controlling plug or valve has an annular or circular passage orchamber 0 encircling the body of the filling tube and into which leadsthe port or opening f of the supply and vent tube F. The casing or shellA on its front side in the construction shown has entered a T-coupling,having its crossarms I screw-threaded on the exterior for the attachmentof a hose or other tube or pipe and having its stem I screw-threadedinto a boss 1? on the casing or shell. The stem I has a passage 1 whichis in communication with a port 2 in the casing or shell and extendsthrough the arms of the T-coupling and receives a plug-valve Ifl'bymeans of which communication is established between the passage ofeither arm of the coupling and the passage i of the stem of thecoupling. The coup' lingis to be connected by asuitable hose, tube, orpipe with a source of carbonic-acid gas or other medium that is to beinjected into the bottle prior to the filling of the bottle with theliquid. The body of the controlling plug or valve D has leading from thepassage or chamber c a passage i which can be brought into communicationwith the port 2', allowing the carbonic-acid gas or other medium to Howfrom the source of supply into the chamber or passage cand enter thesupply and vent tube F to discharge therefrom through the port f intothe bottle; and, as shown, in order to give an increased period of timefor communication between the port i and the passage 1' the port on oneside is elongated, so that the carbonicacid gas or other medium willflow into the bottle until the end of the elongation oi? the port ispassed by the end of the passage 2' with the turning of the controllingplug or valve to bring the bottle into its filling position. The casingor shell A on its upper side in the construction shown has a neck A witha screw-thread on its exterior, and adjacent to the neck is a flange orrim a and on the rear side of the casing is an extension A for theattachment of a bottleholder. (Not shown.) The casing or shell A and theneck A have therein a passagej for the admission of the liquid, whichpassage when the controlling plug or valve is turned to bring the bottleand the filling-tube into a filling position for the bottle alines withthe port cl, allowing the liquid to enter the filling-tube and dischargeinto the bottle. The plug-valve has therein a passage is, which is incommunication at its inner end with the annular passage or chamber 0around the body of the filling-tube, and this passage when thecontrolling plug-valve is turned to establish liquid communicationalines with a passage 75 in the casing or shell A and the neck A, intowhich passage is entered the end of a vent-tube which is incommunication with the tank or receptacle containing the liquid. Thepassages (l, 71 and k in the controlling plug or valve in their relationto each other and to the passage j, port 1', and

passage is in the casing or shell is such that when the plug-valve isturned into the posi valve will be out of alineme'nt with their coactingport and passages in the casing or shell, and with the controllingplug-valve in the position shown in Fig. 4: the bottle is to be enteredon the filling-tube. The initial turning of the plug-valve to bring thebottle into the filling position opens communication between the port viand the passage 6 for the carbonicacid gas or other medium to enter thetube F and discharge into the bottle, filling the bottle withcarbonic-acid gas or other medium under an excess of pressure, and theadmission of carbonic-acid gas or other medium into the bottle continuesuntil the end of the passage 2' passes the end of the port 2', shuttingoff communication. The continued turning of the plug-valve to bring thebottle into its vertical filling position when the fill-.

ing position is reached establishes communication hetween the passage jand the port 61 and at the same time establishes communication betweenthe passage 7.4 and the passage 7c, with the result that the excess ofpressure for the carbonic-acid gas or other medium in the bottle overthe pressure in the filling tank or receptacle is vented through thetube F into the chamber orpassagecand out through the passages 75 7c andtube 7: into thefilling tank or receptacle, and when an equilibrium ofpressure is established between the interior ot the bottle and thefilling tank or re ceptacle the liquid, which has been held back by theexcess of pressure in the bottle, is free to how by gravity into thefilling-tube E and discharge into the bottle under the condition ofpressure, with the result that the liquid thus entered into the bottlewill force out the pressure in the bottle, so that the liquid will bedischarged intothe bottle under a uniform pressure in the bottle andtank or receptacle,

by which foaming is prevented and the bots tling operation is performedwithout waste of the liquid and without deterioration in the quality ofthe liquid.

The medium employed for first charging the bottle is, preferably,carbonic-acid gas, which acts to kill all of the air-germs inthe bottleand by its coolness effects a cooling of the bottle, so that the liquidwill be discharged into the bottle with the air-germs, if any, in thebottle killed and the bottle in a cool condition, which is desirable inbottling liquids. The carbonic-acid gas will also serve to charge theliquid to the extent that such gas is absorbed by the liquid, thusgiving an aerated condition or quality for the liquid. The carbonic-acidgas is discharged into the bottle under an excess of pressure ascompared with the pressure in the tank or receptacle containing theliquid, and this excess of pressureuntil it is equalized acts as ashut-cit or closure against'the admission of the liquid, giving thecarbonic,acid gas the necessary time for killing the air-germs andeffecting a cooling of thebottle, and with the reduction of the'pressurein the bottle of the carbonicacid gas an equalization of the pressure inthe bottle and the liquid tank or receptacle is attained, whereby thefilling of the bottle with the liquid is positively assured under thecondition of an equal and uniform pressure, thus insuring the bottlingof the liquid under the requisite conditions for the best results. Themedium initially discharged into the bottie could be compressed air,forinstance,which would effect a cooling of the bottle, but would not killthe air-germs, and it is to be understood that the medium employed canbe any suitable medium which will give an excess of pressure in thebottle that will be equalized with the pressure in the liquid tank orreceptacle when the vent-passage is open, so as to insure the filling ofthe bottles under a uniform and steady pressure between the interior ofthe bottle and the tank or receptacle. The admission of the excess ofpressure medium into the bottle and the venting thereof from the bottlecan be otherwise than by means of the supply and vent tube F, and, asshown in Figs. 7 to 10, both inclusive, the neck of the closing-cap hastherethrough a passage Z around the filling-tube E, which passagecommunicates with a passage 1 in the controlling plug-valve leading intothe annular chamber or passage 0, so that communication is establishedbetween the chamber or passage 0 and the interior of the bott-le throughthe passages Z and l, by which the carbonic-acid gas or other medium canenter the bottle when the port I: and the passage are in communication,and the excess of pressure can be vented from the bottle when thepassages 76 and 7c are in communication.

The valve of the present invention enables carbonic-acid gas or othermedium for killing the air-germs and cooling the bottle to be suppliedto the bottle under an excess of pressure, and the excess of pressureacts as a cut off against the admission of liquid until the pressure isequalized between the interior of the bottle and the filling-tank, thusinsuring the admission of the liquid to the bottle under an equalizedpressure and also when carbonic-acid gas is used, insuring the chargingof the liquid with the gas, which is desirable for aerated liquids, andwhether carbonicacid gas or other medium is employed under an excess ofpressure the result will be the cooling of the bottle, which isdesirable in the bottling of liquids.

\Vhat I regard as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a filling-valve, a casing or shell and a controlling-plug, boththe casing or shell and the controlling-plug having a passage for gasfrom an independent source of supply under an excess of pressure, apassage for liquid and a vent-passage for the gas, the passages for theliquid and the vent-passages for the gas opening after theinlet-passages for the gas have opened and closed, for first admittinggas under pressure to the bottle,

venting the gas to equalize the pressure on the liquid and in the bottleand admitting liquid, thereby bottling the liquid under an equalizedpressure, substantially as described.

2. In a filling-valve, a casing or shell and a controlling-plug, boththe casing or shell and the controlling-plug havinga passage for gasfrom an independent source of supply under an excess of pressure, apassage for venting the gas and a passage for liquid the passage forventing the gas and admitting the liquid arranged to open after thesupply-passages for the gas have opened and closed, admitting gas to andequalizing the pressure on the liquid and in the bottle for bottlingliquids under pressure, substantially as described.

3. In a filling-valve, a casing or shell and a controlling-plug both thecasing or shell and the controlling-plug having a passage for admittinggas from an independent source of supply under an excess of pressure, apassage for venting the gas and a passage for admitting liquid, all ofthe passages extending transversely of the plug, the passages forventing the gas and admitting the liquid arranged to open after thegas-supply passages have opened and closed, in combination with a filling-tube in communication within the plug with the liquid passage and asupply and vent tube or passage for admitting gas under pressure to thebottle and equalizing the pressure on the liquid and in the bottle forbottling liquids, substantially as described.

4. In a filling-valve, the combination of a casing or shell havingtherein a tapered chamber, a tapered plug-valve entered into the chamberof the casing or shell, a gas-supply port or passage in the casing orshell, a gas-supply passage in the plug-valve, a liquid-supply passagein the casing or shell, a liquidsupply passage in the plug-valve, avent-passage for the gas in the casing or shell, and a vent-passage forthe gas in the plug-valve, the gas-inlet passages in the casing or shelland in the plug-valve opening and closing before the liquidpassages andthe vent-passages open and close, substantially as described.

5. In a filling-valve, the combination of a casing or shell havingtherein a tapered chamber, a tapered plug-valve entered into the chamberof the casing or shell, a gas-supply port or passage in the casing orshell, a gassupply passage in the plug-valve, a liquidsupply passage inthe casing or shell, a liquidsupply passage in the plug-valve, avent-passage for gas in the casing or shell, a vent-passage for gas inthe plug-valve, a filling-tube carried by the plug valve communicatingwithin the plug with the liquid-passages, and a vent tube or passage incommunication with the gas-supply and the gas-venting passages,substantially as described.

AD OLPH SCHNEIDER.

Witnesses:

THOMAS A. BANNING, OSCAR W. BOND.

